Windows 9: The empire's last hope

J. Peter Bruzzese |
July 4, 2014

Microsoft looks to reboot the franchise with a morphing Start-enabled take on the troubled two-faced Windows 8.

Windows 8 is a dead OS walking. In less than a year, Microsoft will launch Windows 9 (final name to come) and do all it can to win back the hearts of Windows users before they do something drastic like switch to Mac — or worse, Linux — if they haven't already.

If rumors hold true (often they do not), Windows 9 will be free for Windows 8.1 users and possibly Windows 7 SP1 users. Consider this a mea culpa to Windows 7 users for making them wait so long for a functional UI and for Windows 8 users who made the switch. But Microsoft must get this one right.

What are your thoughts? Are you confident that Microsoft, under Nadella, can win back the Windows faithful? Or have the missteps of Windows Vista and Windows 8 have you doubting a full-fledged comeback for the Windows franchise?